Twitter targets Covid vaccine misinformation with labels and 'strike' system

Twitter is expanding its use of warning labels on tweets that contain misleading details about coronavirus vaccines.

The move, announced in a blogpost on Monday, is designed to strengthen the social network’s existing Covid-19 guidance, which has led to the removal of more than 8,400 tweets and challenged 11.5m accounts worldwide.

In December the platform started providing more labels providing additional context to tweets with disputed information about the pandemic. Now the company is increasing its focus on posts about vaccines specifically, and starting a strike system that “determines when further enforcement action is necessary”.

Twitter’s decision comes amid concern about the spread of anti-vaccination material on social media.